Employees of Mumbai's civic transport operator BEST started an indefinite strike in the country's financial and entertainment hub today. At least 25 lakh passengers who take 3,000 BEST buses will be affected. The Maharashtra government may enforce the Essential Services Maintenance Act or ESMA on the employees who are on strike. The BEST management issued internal circulars warning employees of action if they participated in the "illegal" strike. The BEST employees are demanding renewal of their salary agreements that expired in 2016, rise in gratuity and bonus amount. They are also seeking immediate resolution of housing issues and merger of various undertakings of BEST or the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport. They want BEST and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) budgets to be merged.